posted December 31, 2015 10:10 AM
Actress Barbara Windsor has been made a Dame in the Queen's New Year honours list.Barbara has had quite an eventful life with three marriages and five abortions.Dame is a noble title and the female equivalent of the honour of knighthood.

posted January 01, 2016 02:40 AM
Yes. The Kray Brothers.Barbara's first husband of 23 years, Ronnie Knight, also had a dubious background. He was eventually jailed after admitting handling some of the proceeds of the Great Train Robbery of August 1963.

posted January 01, 2016 05:15 AM
well, i dont get all this nonsense about dame-hoods and OBE's for actors and actresses, and now sports people, as mentioned Barbera Windsor,(great in the carry ons and a good actress), was also involved with the Gangsters the Krays in one way or another & pictured many times with them and there associates.They choose the job the of acting or sports,(& get paid a hell of lifestyle for it), i think these awards should always go to people who have saved lives or helped out in charities, the unsung heroes of life that few people ever seem to get mentioned, not the millionaires.Every time i see this honours list i cringe, some people getting them just for winning one or two sports events.Look at the awards Jimmy Saville got, the whole thing is a farce,

posted January 01, 2016 07:13 AM
I think the reason (or excuse, depending on how you look at it) for giving actors honours is the work they do for charities and/or the benefit they give to the country in popularity.

If that is true about Amanda Barrie (I've just watched her in Carry on Cabby) at least he was with a Queen after her performance in Carry on Cleo.

posted January 01, 2016 07:35 AM
The honours list is totally devalued by the likes of Lynton Crosby whose work!!! got David Cameron into power. And this makes him worthy of the title 'Sir'? There are too many folk who've done nothing for the country, and too many titles to mean anything to most of us. Abolish the whole thing and start to applaud those whose sacrifice is worth honouring. Arrrrrr...that's better. I've been wanting to say that all morning. And while I'm on, happy New year to you all.

I have enjoyed the thread - by the way I totally agree with your comments Tom around entertainers/sportsmen...I love sports and movies but there is nothing achieved in any whcih way, shape or form on a humanity level that can justify this kind of stuff ...unless as I believe.. they are just a cheap "bauble/trinkett" these days. I am surprised Jeremy Kyle has not been knighted yet alongside the other "creep" on his show "Graham"..Lol. Best to all.

posted January 02, 2016 05:26 AM
Get on Mark, Jeremy Kyle ehh? You should all come to Plymouth's City Centre, The whole bottom end is like a holding pen for that show,SOS as we say, south of the sun dial, you'd know what i mean if you saw it.

posted January 02, 2016 05:55 AM
I actually find the whole honours system hilarious. The way to get a honour falls into four categories. Major donations to political party guaranteed success but expensive. Achieve something that is glamorous or looked at as successful. Charity work the more political correct the more likely you will be successful. Remember you have to push yourself forward. Shrinking violets and wallflowers will not be picked. Finally pick the right job public sector government job is a bonus. Failing this anybody can nominate anybody for an award. You just need to have the right criteria to win. Here is the story if you get your letter from a winning recipient's spouse.(Not me and never likely to be me lol)

Once you have been successful be prepared to spend money. You have your flight ,hotel , new suit for you and your two guests etc Plus, once you arrive at Buckingham Palace you will realise how unimportant you are unless you have landed a big award Peerage(Lord /Dame) Knighthood (Sir/Lady). If you get a CBE OBE or MBE you are dealt with in order by surname. You might not even pull the Queen unless a big name is being done on the same day so prepare to have Charles William or God forbid Anne hand you your award. The whole process is very Disneyvide someone will take a photo selection of you getting your bauble plus they video you so if you fall on your ass or your trousers are too loose and drop it will be recorded. These items will be sold to you at silly prices which you will pay. Let face it you turned up. After the event they do the legal stuff which you sign your life away by telling you what you can't do. Quite a substantial document so I hear so apart from your living room and special official occasions you can't wear your bauble in public or they will take it away from you. This is just as well as wait for it. You don't own it .You have it for your lifetime. You can bequeath it to one person but you have to specify in a proper will and testament and send them a copy. Once your bequeathed person dies they get it back so pick someone healthy and young. 30-40% of the awards are recycled or second /third hand. The another point to note is you are responsible for the upkeep of your award. You are liable for any repairs damage etc. You also have to keep getting the thing cleaned. It was described as looking really blingy when you get it but dulls quickly when exposed to light air touch or water. Also, if you get a second award later you have to hand in the first one. The technical term for the contents of these baubles is "jewellers crap" It ain't gold, silver or anything of real value. Needless to say you can't sell the thing on eBay. That will qualify for automatic withdrawal and you might get to see one of her majesty prisons more Wormwood Scrubs than Tower of London.

as much as i think B Windsor is a very good TV personality and carry on film star she certainly doesn't deserve to be a Dame. Whenever the Wife and i go to see a show in theatre, Singing in the Rain, Westside Story, South Pacific, Phantom to name a few we always say how those people on the stage can sing better than most of the miming so called pop stars can and they can also act better than many Stars, (schwarzenegger come straight to mind, although a great screen personality), virtually none of these moderately paid actors are known and i bet not one has an honour by the Queen.